A 52-year-old Indian man in the United Kingdom’s (UK) Kettering has been charged with murdering his wife and their two children. According to the Northamptonshire Police on Saturday, Saju Chelavalel has been charged with the murders of Anju Asok, aged 35, Jeeva Saju, aged six and Janvi Saju, aged four.
“Mr Chelavalel, of Petherton Court, Kettering, was arrested by officers who were called to his address at 11.15 am on December 15,” the police said in a statement. He will appear at the Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
On attendance, officers found Anju, Jeeva and Janvi with serious injuries, the statement said, adding that despite the best efforts of the paramedics, hospital staff and police officers, the three died a short time later.
According to the post-mortem examination, all three died as a result of asphyxiation.
Anju and Saju got married in 2012 and they moved to the UK last year.
“Our thoughts continue to be with the family of Anju, Jeeva and Janvi, who we are determined to seek justice for,” Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Simon Barnes said on Saturday.
”We will continue to have members of our Neighborhood Policing Team on patrol in the area and I urge anyone with any concerns to please speak to them,” Barnes added.
Anju Asok, who belonged to the Indian state of Kerala, was a nurse by profession and had been working at the Kettering General Hospital since last year.
Tributes started pouring in for Asok with the hospital’s chief executive Deborah Needham saying that she was a committed and compassionate staff nurse, who was loved and respected by her dear friends and colleagues, according to a report by the Guardian on Sunday.
“All our thoughts are with her friends and family as they come to terms with this sudden loss,” Needham added.
(With inputs from agencies)